Expansible paint applicator

ABSTRACT

An expansible paint applicator of the roller variety is provided with two frame members. One frame member has attached thereto the applicator handle and a rotatably mounted applicator sleeve. This sleeve when used alone for painting flat surfaces paints a narrow strip in its track. The other frame member likewise has a rotatable applicator sleeve mounted thereto and is adapted for coupling to the first frame member and handle to adjoin both rotatable sleeves in contiguous end-to-end relation. When the rollers are thus conjoined, the applicator paints a wide strip in its track coextensive with the axial length of the conjoined applicator sleeves.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Harold J. Taylor FOREIGN PATENTS Vista,Apt-D,M9umain View, 1,133,801 11/1956 France 15 230.11 Calif-24040 1,052,877 3 1959 Germany 15 230.11 l.N 8285 6 g fg 28, 1969 Primary Examiner-Walter A. Scheel Assistant Examiner-Alan l. Cantor -t t d S t.l4 1971 Pd 0 ep Attorney-Townsend and Townsend [54] EXPANSIBLE PAINT APPLICATOR Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl /230.1l,

15/118,15/145 ABSTRACT: An expansible paint applicator of the roller [51] lnt.Cl B05c1/08, variety is provided with [W0 frame members o fmmc 844d 3/28 member has attached thereto the applicator handle and a Field of Search 15/230.11, t t bl mounted applicator s|ecvc This Sleeve when used 1 101/328 329,330,313; alone for painting flat surfaces paints a narrow strip in its 401/197 track. The other frame member likewise has a rotatable applicator sleeve mounted thereto and is adapted for coupling to [56] References Cited the first frame member and handle to adjoin both rotatable UNITED STATES PATENTS sleeves in contiguous end-to-end relation. When the rollers 2,805,439 9/1957 Parker 15/2301] are thus conjoined, the applicator paints a wide strip in its 2,970,366 2/1961 Gill 15/230.11 X track coextensive with the axial length of the conjoined ap- 3,229,319 1/1966 Goetz l5/230.l1 plicator sleeves.

0 E c, F c E 0 f" T T T 1 I50 I B PATENTEU SEP1 4 I97! INVENTOR.

" HAROLD J. TAYLOR EXPANSIBLE PAINT xrrucxron This invention relates to paint applicators'ofthe roller variety and more particularly discloses an-applicator which permits the conjoinder of a plurality of roller applicator sleeves incontiguous end-to-end relation.

Applicators of the roller variety typically comprise an attached frame for supporting a spindle onto which is mounted a rotatable core, This rotatable core supports a cylindrical applicator sleeve of lamb's or synthetic wool. When wetted with paint and rolled over a flat surface, the applicator sleeve paints a strip extending along its track, which strip is of a width coextensive with the axial length of the applicator sleeve.

Heretofore, when it has been desired to paint expanded strips in the track of a paint applicator of the roller variety, differing applicators have been used. Where the flat surfaces'to be painted are relatively narrow, an applicator having a sleeve of small axial length is used; where the flat surfaces to be painted are broad, a second applicator having sleeves of expanded axial length is used. The present invention is directed.

vpaint is virtually impossible. Typically, such sleeves when used for painting frequently adhere to the underlying roller. Moreover, these sleeves when wetted with paint are slippery, difficult to grasp, and cannot be changed on their underlying roller without coating the hands of the operator with paint.

Secondly, applicators mounting more than one applicator sleeve in end-to-end relation have typically maintained a spatial interval between the sleeve ends. This spatial interval has heretofore been required because the spindle onto which the rollers are rotatably mounted is attached to the handle at the spatial interval between the conjoined applicator sleeves. When applicators of this variety are used, this interval between the sleeve ends leaves an unpainted streak in the roller track. This unpainted streak requires a retrace along the roller track reducing greatly the efficiency of the conjoined rollers.

An object of this invention is to provide a paint applicator of the roller variety wherein two applicator sleeves wetted with paint can be removably conjoined in contiguous end-to-end relation without requiring grasping of the applicator sleeves.

An advantage of this invention is that the paired applicator sleeves are mounted in contiguous end-to-end relation so that the applicator does not leave in its track an unpainted interval between the conjoined applicator sleeves.

A further object of this invention is to disclose a position of thehandle relative to the sleeves so that there is minimum torque exerted at the handle when the applicator is used with either a single rotatable sleeve or alternately with conjoined rotatable sleeves.

A further advantage of this invention is that provision is made to firmly attach and support the conjoined applicator sleeves at their respective ends. This provides each of the rollers with afirm conjoinder and prevents the uneven application of paint caused by movement of one roller with respect to the other roller.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bias of the coupling member conjoining the spindles onto which the rollers and applicator sleeves are mounted. This bias permits any elastic deflection occuring along the conjoined spindles to move the conjoined applicator sleeves into a uniform and flat contact with the surface to be painted.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be more apparent after referring to the attached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the applicator of this invention showing two applicator sleeves mounted in contiguous end-toend relation, the sleeves being shown broken away in the vicinity of a coupling conjoining their respective spindles;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the applicator of FIG. 1 illustrating the pivotal movement of the right-hand frame member of the'applicator about its spindle with respect to the left-hand frame member, this movement providing remote disengagement of the conjoined and wetted rollers;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coupling for conjoining the rollers; and I FIG. 4 is an .elevational view along the plane of a flat surface being painted illustrating the bias of the coupling between conjoined applicator sleeves to provide for the even applica tion of paint.

With reference to FIG. 1, the operative parts of the applicator of this invention can be illustrated. Handle A is shown permanently conjoined to a left-hand frame member B and removably conjoined to a right-hand frame member B. Eachof the respective frame members B and B support on one end thereof a spindle C. On each spindle there is mounted a rotatable core D which core accommodates applicator sleeves E for coaxialrotation about each of the spindles. Coupling F at the abutting ends of the respective spindles C provide for contiguous end-to-end conjoinder of the two applicator sleeves E.

Handle A is typically an elongate cylinder of wood. This cylinder has embedded along the axis thereof at one end the protruding end portion 14 of frame B. Immediately below end portion l4 of frame B within handle A, there is configured a groove 16. Groove 16 is formed in the sidewalls of handle A underlying embedded end portion 14 and accommodates end portion 18 of frame B when the respective sleeves E are conjoined in contiguous end-to-end relation.

Frame member B functions to support its attached spindle C at right angles to handle A. Typically, the frame member protrudes coaxially outward of the handle a preselected distance. At the end of end portion 14, the frame member is bent angularly to the left as shown in FIG. 1 to form an angle of approximately 60 with the axis 20 of handle A.

At intermediate portion 22, frame B extends angularly away from handle axis 20 terminating in spindle support member 23, which member is here shown aligned parallel to end portion 14.

At the end of spindle support 23, frame member B supports a spindle C. Spindle C extends inwardly at right angles to the axis 20 of handle A a distance four-thirds of the length between spindle support portion 23 and the intersection of the axis 20 of handle A with the spindle. This length and position of spindle C with respect to handle A, as will hereinafter be more fully explained, minimizes the torque or twist exerted at handle A when the applicator sleeves E are used singularly or in combination for applying paint.

Second or right frame member B is constructed similarly to frame member B. This frame member has a first portion 18 which is configured for seating in groove 16 of handle A parallel to the handle axis 20. From end portion 18 frame member B diverges angularly outward at intermediate portion 25, this portion describing an angle of approximately with respect to the axis 20 of the handle A. At its end removed from handle A, fame member B terminates in a spindle support portion 26, which portion is generally aligned parallel to axis 20 of handle A.

Similar to framemember B, frame member B supports its own spindle C at right angles to the axis of handle 20. Spindle C has a length four-fifths of the length between spindle support portion 26 and axis 20 of handle A, and therefore does not extend the full distance to intersect the axis of handle A.

Each of the spindles C has rotatably attached thereto core D. Core D, manufactured in accordance with principles well known in the art, is a cylindrical body having the axis of the cylinder located at spindle C. Each of the cores D have frictionally mounted thereto applicator sleeves E. Sleeves E rotate about spindle C so that paint can be applied on the surface along the track over which each of the sleeves E passes.

Each of the spindles C is provided, at its end removed from its supporting frame members B and B, with a coupling member C, which coupling is shown in detail in FIG. 3. The coupling member attached to the left-hand spindle C comprises a pin 30 mounted diametrically through and normal to left-hand spindle C.

The coupling member mounted to the righbhand spindle C is a sleeve 32, which sleeve has an inside diameter slightly exceeding the outside diameter of spindles C. Typically, the

right-hand portion of sleeve 32 is fastened rigidly to right-hand spindle C. At the left-hand portion, sleeve 32 is provided with two axially extending slots 34, which slots are diametrically opposite one another in the sidewalls of sleeve 32 and extend a preselected distance from the left-hand end of the sleeve towards its other end.

At the end of the respective slots 34 there is a second circumferentially extending slot 36. Slot 36 extends a preselected angular interval around the circumference of sleeve 32, this interval typically being of approximately 30. Both longitudinally extending slots 34 and circumferentially extending slots 36 have a width sufficient to permit pin 30 to pass therethrough when left-hand spindle C is inserted interior of sleeve 32 attached to the right-hand spindle.

Having set forth the construction of the applicator elements, its operation can now be readily understood. Typically, when conjoinder of the respective frame member B and B is desired so that the applicator sleeves E may be used together, the frame members B and B are moved towards one another with their respective spindles C in coaxial relation. The end of spindle C removed from frame member B is inserted interior of sleeve 32 and the pin 30 registered with the longitudinally extending slots 34. With the pin thus registered, the spindles C are moved towards one another in abutting relation, pin 30 sliding along the slots 34 until it reaches the end thereof.

When pin 30 has reached the end of slot 34, frame members B and B are rotated relative to one another to advance the pin to the end of circumferentially extending slot 36. In such rotation, frame member B and B are brought into that substantial coplanar relation illustrated in FIG. 2, pin 30 and grooves 34 and 36 being aligned with respect to one another in anticipation of such a twisting coupling. Thereafter, the end portion 18 of frame member B is fitted interior of the handle groove 16 of handle A.

When interior of the handle A at groove 16, end portion 18 of frame member B is typically held in place by sleeve 40. Sleeve 40 can be of metal, plastic, rubber or the like, and has a diameter which permits a sliding frictional surface over the outside of the cylinder of handle A. When the end portion 18 is within the groove 16 and handle A, these sleeves 40 are moved so as to capture frame B within the groove on the handle.

Handle A has an advantage not immediately apparent. Referring to FIG. 1 it will be noted that left-hand applicator sleeve E paints a path in its track equidistant on either side of left-hand track centerline 42. Likewise, it will be observed that when the respective applicator sleeves E are conjoined, they will paint a path equidistant on either side of a conjoined track centerline 44, this centerline here shown being at the junction of the two applicator sleeves E.

It will be noted that axis 20 of handle A is located parallel to and equidistantly between left-hand track centerline 42 and conjoined track centerline 44. This location of handle A prevents inordinate twists being exerted when applicator sleeves E are used either singularly or together.

When frame member B and its attached applicator sleeve E are used alone, the axis 20 of handle A will be located to the right of left-hand track centerline 42. As there is a greater portion of applicator sleeve E to the left-hand side of axis 20 than to the right-hand side of axis 20, as shown in FIG. 1, some twist will be exerted on handle A.

Conversely, however, when the two applicator sleeves E are conjoined through coupling F, it will be noted that the axis 20 of handle A is to the left of the conjoined roller centerline 44.

Consequently, some twist will be exerted on handle A, this twist however being opposite to that produced by the single left-hand applicator sleeve of frame B. It is thus seen that the position of handle A intermediate the respective centerlines 42 and 44 of the singular and conjoined applicator sleeve E provides a comprise of these twisting forces.

It has been found that some flexure of the conjoined spindles C can occur at coupling F. This flexure tends to bias the conjoined applicator sleeves E away from the flat surface being painted. As illustrated in FIG. 4, it has been found that by biasing coupling F with a bend towards the surface being painted, the adverse effects of such flexure can be overcome. In practice it has been found that bending coupling F at an angle where the respective axes of the rotatably mounted cores form an obtuse angle of 178 to 179 is sufficient for this purpose.

Certain obvious modifications of the invention disclosed can be made. For example, either of the rotatably mounted cores can be partially supported in their rotation about their respective frame members by the other frame members or their rotatably attached cores when both frame members are conjoined.

Likewise in the preferred embodiment here illustrated, the cores D and applicator sleeve E have been shown as being of equal width. It should be noted that the respective widths of the cores and applicator sleeves can be varied one with respect to the other. Moreover, these and other modifications of my invention may be practiced, it being understood that the form of my invention as described above is to be taken as a preferred example of the same. Such description has been by way of illustration and example. Changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the claims:

I A paint applicator of the roller variety comprising in combination:

handle means having a shaped groove in its side in an upper portion; first and second cylindrical paint applicator sleeves; first and second frame members; said first frame member being attached at a first end to said handle means and extending sidewardly in a first direction; said second frame member having at a first end, a portion shaped to fit said groove and extending sidewardly from said portion, so that when said portion is situated in said groove, said second frame member extends in the substantially opposite direction to said first direction of said first frame member; locking means for locking said portion of said second frame member in said groove; first means for rotatably mounting said first cylindrical paint applicator sleeve to said first frame member at a place distant from said first end of said frame member; second means for rotatably mounting said second cylindrical paint applicator sleeve to said second frame member at a place distant from said first end of said second frame member, coupling means attached to said frame members and adapted to conjoin said first and second paint applicator sleeves in substantial coaxial relation with said sleeves in contiguous end-for-end relation. 2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said first and second means for rotatably mounting includes spindles extending coaxially of said first and second paint applicator sleeves and said coupling means includes first and second members attached to said spindles.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said coupling means is adapted to permit angular movement of said first and second frame members between a first angular position wherein said frame members are conjoined and a second angular position wherein said frame members are separable.

4. The invention of claim 2 and wherein said coupling means is adapted to support said spindles at a large obtuse angle approaching 180.

5. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said first and second cylindrical paint applicator sleeves are of equal axial length. 

2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said first and second means for rotatably mounting includes spindles extending coaxially of said first and second paint applicator sleeves and said coupling means includes first and second members attached to said spindles.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said coupling means is adapted to permit angular movement of said first and second frame members between a first angular position wherein said frame members are conjoined and a second angular position wherein said frame members are separable.
 4. The invention of claim 2 and wherein said coupling means is adapted to support said spindles at a large obtuse angle approaching 180*.
 5. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said first and second cylindrical paint applicator sleeves are of equal axial length. 